26,000 Letter Project

Speaking about military sexual trauma

Helping Veterans who were raped and sexually assaulted while in service to our country

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26,000-Letter Project

The
most recent
Department of Defense Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Annual Report
released May 2013 (http://www.sapr.mil/index.php/annual-reports) states that at least
26,000 military service members were sexually assaulted in 2012. Every few months, members of the United States Congress call
survivors to Washington, D.C. to testify. We go, hoping for real change,
we describe what was done to us, the consequential suffering and struggles the
assaults have caused, not only in our lives but the lives of our loved ones.
Then, Congress does nothing…and awhile later, they ask for more of us to
testify. Since the report and its 26,000
appeared to catch the attention of Congress, perhaps they will listen and take
significant action if they hear from us in huge numbers, like 26,000. We invite you to participate in the exciting
and unique “26,000-Letter Project.”

To pass a bill similar to the MJIA that
removes the reporting and adjudication of the Sexual crimes out of the hands of
commanders

2. Clear the backlog of current claims
that affects survivors from all era

All claims with be counted and reported. Proposed rule changes will not affect
current claims already in the system

3. Ease the level of proof needed for MST
versus combat related PTSD.

Often MST crimes go unreported or when those crimes
are reported, the investigation is "sanitized" making proof hard to
come by. Passing The Ruth Moore Act or similar legislation to make the level of
proof on par with combat claims

Pass the Caregiver Act, or similar
legislation have gender specific treatment for MST

We
have created a simple, one-page form you can fill in to use as your letter,
because we know, and respect, that writing about the assault could be
upsetting. Please fill out the form, giving as much information as you feel
comfortable doing. If you wish to write
out your story in addition to that form or to submit a poem or piece of visual art,
please keep it to one additional 8 ½ x 11-inch page. We ask that you send your letters by snail
mail to increase the security of your information. Please understand that these
letters are for legislators who are very busy and often have a short attention
spans, so although it will be difficult, we need you to keep your attachments
to one page. The idea is show them what
it is like to live in the shoes on a survivor.